


Hey Blueberry! Get Over Here Before Nico Gets Squeezed to Death!

by tigercry



Series: Obgaku (Music) Elite Academy [2]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Art School, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, Maki's sleep deprived, Nico's supportive, Snuggling, Umi plays instruments, mild OOC Nico, wired take on Maki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25484596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigercry/pseuds/tigercry
Summary: "All I know is that Maki's brain is afraid of sleep due to how little she gets. She's afraid that she'll go to sleep and just won't ever regain consciousness again. That's why I'm here, to protect her and keep her safe."Despite Nico's now common and protective actions, she finds herself wondering why she did it when Maki's squeezing the air out of her during a nightmare. Hey... Uh, Umi? A little help please? (Takes place soon after "Maki! Those Are My Shoes!")
Relationships: Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico
Series: Obgaku (Music) Elite Academy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1842244
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	Hey Blueberry! Get Over Here Before Nico Gets Squeezed to Death!

**Author's Note:**

> Important to remember: Maki has chronic insomnia that gets worse when she's stressed. She focuses too much on what other people want from her and forgets to take care of herself; so Nico frequently spends her extra time with the younger girl. Collaborating with Umi (Maki's cousin) and Kotori to keep the redhead as healthy as possible.

“Alright, lights out,” Nico announced as she approached the redhead with a soft smile lingering over her face that Ran couldn’t see and Maki wasn’t paying attention to.

However, if Ran wasn’t there Nico likely would’ve made a snarky comment about the state of Maki’s blankets, but she wanted Maki to calm down, not get overly flustered and uncomfortable. So instead she just scooped the blankets off the bed and picked them up one by one to straighten out over the reading pianist. 

Maki swatted the blankets away from her hands but didn’t refute Nico as the senior finished with the last blanket, and pulled the pink blanket around her own shoulders.

Before getting a cranky grunt from Maki as she ducked her head between Maki’s arms as she laid down in front of her and pulled Maki’s messy blankets up, making the junior lift her book up higher so she could read it properly.

Nico didn’t speak, rather she merely clicked a button on Maki’s nightstand as she picked up the tablet and earbuds up from it as well. 

The lights dimmed themselves as Nico put one of the earbuds in and unlocked the tablet. Scrolling through her social media feed and silently replying to various fans as Maki tucked the other earbud in her ear and Nico activated the low white noise that usually helped the musician sleep but would wake her up if she kept it playing for too long. The earbuds’ splitter allowing her to listen to pop music while Maki tried to relax and turn off her stressed brain for a little while.

And it took a while for Maki to even begin to look sleepy. Nearly an hour of dimmed lights, white noise, a calming book, and Nico gently brushing her fingers in a soothing fashion over Maki’s upper arm before the redhead's book drooped a little and the red head’s head lolled briefly toward Nico’s head as her purple eyes fluttered drowsily. 

Nico didn’t react other than to stop touching the younger girl, continuing to watch auditions and acting tips around managing her social media while Maki was visibly fighting sleep.

Her book bobbing forward in slow motions while her lavender eyes opened and slowly closed for a few more minutes before she spoke up with a frightened slur her arms tightening around the other girl’s shoulders and pulling her a little toward her. “Nico… don’t… want…!”

Nico’s fingers touched Maki’s arm, “ssshh…” she soothed the redhead who was struggling her clear heavy drowsiness, fighting to stay awake and aware and not sleep. Even though she had been fine just a few minutes ago.

Maki whimpered, purple eyes barely a sliver open and most of her body was relaxed besides her hands which twitched around her book and her arms reflexively pulled Nico closer, completely freaking out at the idea of intentionally going to sleep. Her nose buried into the strawberry scented shampoo scented black hair of the college student as her head lolled and she struggled to get control of her sleep lethargic body.

“Sssshh,” Nico soothed the other girl, seemingly fine being held by the shoulders and having Maki’s harsh breathing flutter her long hair by Maki’s nose. “Shh,” she hushed gently but didn’t actively speak. 

After another minute of Maki panicking and fighting to stay awake the redhead was out. Finally asleep with her arm curled tightly around Nico in fear and her book dropping lower and lower toward the sheets as her hold on Nico relaxed and her head lolled a little into Nico’s. The normally rather prickly redhead was curled around Nico, softly spooning the other girl and holding her close in a form of personal protection and comfort in her sleep.

Nico softly reached behind her and tugged the earbud out of Maki’s ear along with grabbing the book now lying on the mattress. “G'night Nico's Princess..." she whispered into the dark room as she put the bookmark in place and reached forward. Causing Maki to murmur and snuggle Nico closer as she reached and put the book down onto the nightstand in front of her before she let Maki pull her back, relieved that the redhead had actually fallen asleep.

_**A/N: NicoMaki Sketch of mine that fits well here titled "Blanket Hoarder"** _

_**** _

* * *

“Umi!” Nico’s voice was tense and there was another voice to accompany Nico’s. “Would you get over here already?!”

“I will in a second,” the smooth alto of Umi Sonoda’s voice played out through the room, “Maki is just having a nightmare, give me a second to put my bag down and I will help out, sound good?”

“Preferably before she squeezes Nico to death,” Nico grunted and then squealed, “ow! Good grief woman! Just because Nico’s soft and cute doesn’t mean you should squeeze me to death like a stuffed animal!”

“Relax Nico,” Umi soothed, “I’m ready now.”

“Then what’re you waiting for? Save Nico before she dies to a rare tomato-headed nightmare!” She squealed again, “Seriously Oww!!” she sounded out of breath now, “Maki-chan’s going to crush me you stupid blueberry!” 

“Very well, I’ll begin now,” Umi replied smoothly and simply, her words strong and powerful despite the small statement. Then the gentle sound of an acoustic guitar being strummed rippled through the room. Experienced fingers delicately and expertly plucking and strumming the strings in what sounded like would’ve been a piano melody. “ _Fushigi de ne ima no komichiii, sora kara futtee kita mitaii,”_ Umi’s voice was well on pitch, low and powerful with a soft comfortability that her normal voice lacked. “ _Tokubetsu na kisetsu no iro ga tokimekii wo miseru yoo. Hajimete deatta toki kara, yokan ni sawagu kokoro no melody… tomerarenai tomaranai na-zee...”_

Sure enough Maki responded at the sound of the music, “you’re a quarter of a pitch too low… and… sleeping…”

“I still can’t believe that works,” Nico blinked, staring as the redhead rolled over, luckily without grabbing her, and snoozed some more with her nose nearly flush with the wall.

“Well the proof is directly in front of your face Yawaza,” Umi chuckled and changed the tune she was strumming on her guitar, “now all we do is wait, correct?”

“Well you can just sit around and wait, but Nico needs food so I’m going to the kitchen,” Nico shrugged, “and stay out of my kitchen Umi!”

“I promise to stay here with the piano,” Umi promised and Nico vanished into the kitchen.

Ran slid into the room, nearly falling on her face in her haste to make sure everything was alright, “sorry I’m so late! What happened?!”

Umi jumped at Ran’s arrival and played an entirely wrong chord that had the sleeping Maki cringing and shooting up into sitting up, very awake and aware.

“Hey! Watch it!” The cranky redhead snapped at her cousin, “that’s my piano dumbass!”

Umi merely blinked at Ran, rather wide-eyed like she hadn’t expected someone besides Maki and Nico to hear her play. “Oh… uh, sorry Maki,” Umi’s ears were going red, the easily flustered girl pulling nervously at her collar. Her cool demeanor seemed to have briefly vanished, leaving an adorably awkward girl who was clearly trying to regain her cool.

“Oh, there you are!” Nico popped her head out of the kitchen, promptly saving the flustered third-year from the dirty blonde. “Where did you disappear to? You nearly frightened Umi out of her own skin!” When she noticed the redhead sitting up in bed groggily rubbing at her eyes, Nico’s eyes softened. 

“Go back to sleep princess, Nico’ll wake you up when breakfast’s done.”

Maki groaned, pointed crankly at Umi and rubbed at her eyes, “stay off of my piano with your string and brass fingers Umi if you’re going to crash cords like that.”

Umi cleared her throat, her composure instantly all back as she replied to her cousin. “Of course, I will be careful Maki.”

Maki scrutinized her through half asleep purple eyes, trying to tell if she was lying or not.

Nico sighed and exited the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel, “I’ll watch her Maki, you need all the sleep you can get you idiot.”

“I’m not an idiot,” Maki shot back with a grumble and ran her fingers through her truly fantastic bed head of wavy red strands.

Nico smiled sweetly at her and stood with a hip thrown out slightly, “you love it.”

Maki’s cheeks turned pink, “maybe,” she conceded then glared at her, “keep the flustered Umi off of my piano.” With that the composer flopped onto her back and rolled over into a small ball, hugging Nico’s pink and white pillow with her nose buried in the fabric.

Umi coughed lightly into a hand, “please accept my apology Ran,” she explained as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her collared denim vest. “I was not expecting another person to be here.”

“Umi’s musical talent besides transposing and lyric writing is a secret,” Nico winked at Ran then trotted back off to the kitchen, “Umi, rolled omelet or TKG?” 

Umi’s eyes narrowed briefly in thought, “hmm… regarding Maki or myself?” Umi was dressed in a denim vest, close fitting dark long sleeve shirt, and dark washed jeans with ankle boots. Another rather gender neutral outfit.

“Nevermind, you like TKG,” Nico snorted from the kitchen, “Maki’s eating mild rice and tomatoes today. It’s the easiest way to make sure she eats and I doubt she’s going to keep it and lunch down with the pressure from the play.”

“That is true,” Umi relented, “this play is going to take immense amounts of work to complete and that is-”

“If you and Maki don’t get sick,” Nico finished with a loud sigh, “Well blueberry, you better keep yourself healthy, cause Nico’s hands are ful with your cousin the tomato.”

* * *

**A/N: Rough sketch, Princey-Umi headshot**

**Author's Note:**

> We'll see Umi more as I write the Kotumi side of the series I promise. The pince-like and flustered versions of Umi makes her and Kotori my top two favorite characters in love live.  
> You can definitely look forward to Umi playing guitar for her though ^-^ And giving her a thornless rose! :D


End file.
